Brasserie Duibuisson has a long and distinguished history. In 1994 it celebrated its 225th anniversary, brewing a beer - Bush 7% - to mark the occasion. The brewery claims to be the oldest Wallonian brewery still in ownership by the family and is determined to stay independent. It works hard to promote its products and boasts the fact that over 3,000 people from many different countries visited the brewery in 1993. In 1994, when it had an open event to mark its anniversary and to inaugurate its new reception hall, more than 7,000 joined the two-day celebration.

The brewery started in 1769 when Joseph Leroy, a maternal ancestor of the Dubuisson family, became a farmer-brewer. He built the brewery on his own land and supplied farmworkers and local villagers.

The products we know today were developed as a direct result of Alfred and Amedée Dubuisson opting to be brewers rather than farmers in 1931. At this time British beers were becoming fashionable to Belgian drinkers so, in 1933, Alfred developed a high alcohol beer with both Belgian and British characteristics. The name given to this powerful brew - Bush Beer - is indicative of its "Britishness" in that Bush is the English for Dubuisson. Over the years it has become the mainstay of the brewery, winning many medals at exhibitions around the world and in 1994 accounted for almost 90% of the brewery's total output.

1991 saw the launch of Bush de Noël, a Christmas beer (brewed every year since), which heralded an end to the years of Bush Beer being Dubuisson's sole product.

Discounting Trappist beers, Bush Beer must be the most well-known of all Wallonian beers, and it has a very high profile on the export market where it is sold in many countries as Scaldis. The word Scaldis is Latin for "bush" and the name change was necessitated to avoid confusion with products from Annheuser-Busch the US giant brewing conglomerate (how anyone could possibly confuse a 12% alc/vol. ale of this quality with a mass-market American beer is beyond us!). Bush de Noël is likewise known as Scaldis de Noël but, to date, we have not heard whether Bush 7% will follow the same trend and become Scaldis 7%. Some 14% of the brewery's production was exported in 1993.

The Dubuisson range still exudes a certain British character about it and, as such, is quite unique among the Wallonian beers. Drinkers of strong English barley wines will be familiar with the warming, fruity malt but they will also experience a lightness and dryness with a less cloying texture.

Today the brewery is in the hands of Vincent and Hugues Dubuisson, the eighth generation, and employs 25 people. As well as the brewing operation they also run a beer wholesaling business with two drive-in drink markets, one behind the brewery buildings (although this tends to sell only mass-market brands) and another in Tournai. This side of the business has also been going for some time - it was one of the first suppliers of Stella Artois in 1926!

All Dubuisson beers are filtered so, although they will undoubtedly keep for some time without significant deterioration, they are not likely to improve. Unlike the majority of Wallonian breweries Dubuisson only supplies its beers in 25cl crown corked bottles, which is probably a good thing bearing in mind the strength of Bush 12!

THE BEER RANGE

Bush Beer 7%

7.5% Alc/Vol. Available in 33cl bottles.

At a "mere" 7.5% this latest addition to the range of bush beers may come in at the bottom, but it is most definitely a Bush Beer. Although generous use of hops is evident in both the aroma and palate it still manages to display a very strong alcohol based character. However, you could say that at least you don't have to endure 12% alcohol in order to enjoy a Bush.

Bush Ambrée

12% Alc/vol. Available in 33cl & 25cl bottles

This is the old label.

Having been brewed since 1933 this powerful beer has a good pedigree. It was known as Bush Beer intil the summer of 1998 (the 65th anniversary of the beer) when the name was changed to Bush Ambrée and the Blonde was added to the range.Unlike the 7% it is malt rather than hops that shape the taste but pure heat and alcohol that dominate it. Behind the alcohol it is pleasantly fruity. For a beer of this character it has a surprisingly light texture.

Bush Blonde

10.5% Alc/Vol. Available in 33cl & 25cl bottles.

Bush Blonde was added to the range in summer 1998 at the same time as the name Bush Beer was changed to Bush Ambrée. We have been unable to try the beer yet so tasting notes will be added later.

Bush De Noël

12% Alc/vol. Available in 33cl crown corked bottles.

Bush Noël, as its name suggests, is the Christmas beer which first appeared in 1991. The palate again portrays the intense, burning alcohol that epitomises Dubuisson beers but this beer has fuller taste and body that the Bush 12%, with some candied, caramel malt tastes. Apparently it is the same recipe as the Bush 12% but with a higher proportion of Caramunich malt in the recipe.